Winding machine

ABSTRACT

A winding machine for preparing reels of web material having a minimized center opening from conventional wound web material reels in which a frame supports rotatable means for the conventional wound reel of web material and a driving unit for rewinding the web material into a reel having a minimized center aperture. A tension control for the web material is provided, a pair of parallel pins associated with a rotatable supporting member receive the end of the web material for winding thereabout. A rewound reel diameter-regulating apparatus terminates the rewinding operation when the diameter of the rewound reel reaches a predetermined dimension.

1 WllNllDlNG MAlCHKNE Francis 11!. Northup, 725 West End Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27101 [22] Filed: July31,1969

[21] Appl.No.: 846,547

[72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. ..242/56 R, 242/57, 242/67.3, 242/81, 242/1562 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 119/26, B65h 17/02 [58] Field oiSearch ..242/55,56,57, 60,63, 67.1, 242/67.3, 67.5, 68, 71.8, 77, 81,1562

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,581 2/1955 Speed et a1 ..242/56 X 2,074,237 3/1937 Pierce ...242/57 X [451 .lan. W72

3,495,782 2/1970 Nelsonetal. ..242/56 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Auslageschrift 1,183,782, Germany, by Becker publ. 12-1964 Primary Examiner-Stan1ey N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney-Charles Y. Lackey [5 7] ABSTRACT A winding machine for preparing reels of web material having a minimized center opening from conventional wound web material reels in which a frame supports rotatable means for the conventional wound reel of web material and a driving unit for rewinding the web material into a reel having a minimized center aperture. A tension control for the web material is provided, a pair of parallel pins associated with a rotatable supporting member receive the end of the web material for winding thereabout. A rewound reel diameterregulating apparatus terminates the rewinding operation when the diameter of the rewound reel reaches a predetermined dimension.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU Jmzsmz MEN 2 WINDING MACHINE BACKGROUND, BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed primarily to fill a particular need though it will be apparent and obvious that the apparatus disclosed herein for producing reels of web material having a minimized center aperture will be suitable and desirable for many other applications.

It has been discovered that reels of continuous web materials such as, for example, papers and plastics may be, when suitably wound, shaped into a variety of configurations which may be singularly or in combination with other such shaped reels assembled to form a functional or aesthetically appealing object. The shaping of these reels is accomplished by pushing uniformly against the sides of the wound reel so that concave or convex surfaces are formed in the sides of the reel. The wound and shaped reels then can be covered with a suitable adhesive to prevent further distortion movement and decoratively painted or colored to form a finished product.

For the preferred use, it is essential that the wound reels have a minimized center opening so that a noticeable opening does not appear in the finished article shaped by the method described above. When web material is wound according to conventional procedures, a hub or spindle is normally used to support the package and thus an aperture having a diameter of approximately the diameter of the supporting spindle remains.

The present invention is designed particularly to eliminate a center aperture normally resulting when a reel of web material is wound in a conventional manner. It will be appreciated that the winding apparatus disclosed herein is readily adaptable to any number of operations where the winding of web material such as tape, cloth, paper, plastics or other similar material is required. Those applications requiring a maximum supply of web material to be wound on each reel are particularly suitable for the present apparatus since the elimination of the aperture normally contained in such prepared reels increases the capacity over a conventional reel of the same outer diameter.

The winding machine of the present invention is comprised of a frame upon which is mounted a rotatable supporting member which sustains conventionally wound reels of web material which must be unwound and rewound to form the package desired. A receiving device comprised of a pair of parallel pins which hold a free end of the web material rotates to commence the formation of a reel so that the web material extends from a conventional reel being unwound to the new reel both of which are contained on the same housing or frame. The structure supporting the conventional reel is provided with a tension control device to insure a properly wound package during the rewinding operation. The machine is provided with a reel diameter-regulating component which is continuously responsive to the increasing diameter of the reel being formed during the rewinding operation so that when that diameter reaches a predetermined size as designated by the component, the winding operation is terminated, the web material is severed and an adhesive is applied to a small section of the free severed end of the newly wound package so that the package is secured against unwinding.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a winding machine of the type described which will wind a reel of continuous web material in a manner so that a minimized center aperture is provided as a result of the winding operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine of the type described which includes means for selecting the size of the continuously wound reel of web material so that the winding operation is terminated when the preselected size is reached.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a winding apparatus of the type described which incorporates a pair of parallel pins to secure and commence the reel of wound web material and thus form a reel having a minimized center aperture.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a winding apparatus of the type described wherein the component for establishing the size of the wound reel includes circuit triggering and switching means to control the operating circuit of the driving motor.

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for the construction of shapable rolls of continuous web material which may be used to produce novel and functional articles.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent after a consideration of the following detailed specifications taken in conjunction with the. accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION FIG. l is a perspective view of the winding machine comprising the present invention illustrating the conventionally wound reel being rewound, and the reel size-regulating device positioned for the winding of a web material reel having a preselected diameter.

FIG. 2 is a top elevational and sectional view of the winding apparatus shown in FIG. I particularly illustrating the interior of the apparatus frame.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational and sectional view of the winding apparatus shown in FIGS. II and 2.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational and sectional view of the winding apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective, isolated, fragmentary and enlarged view of the reel-removing component and the parallel pins which retain the leading end of a supply of web material for winding thereabout.

FIG. 6a is a side elevational, sectional and fragmentary view of the pins receiving the free end of the web material in association with a rotatable supporting member having a slightly convex surface which permits the accumulation of a consistent roll of web material during the winding operation.

FIG. 6b is a side elevational, sectional and fragmentary view of the holding pins and rotatable supporting member wherein the supporting member has been moved outwardly with respect to the pins by the roll-removing device of FIG. 5 to remove the formed reel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. I, the winding machine illustrated which comprises the primary embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 12 which retains a supporting shaft 14 revolvably held by any suitable means such as bearings 16 secured fixably to a portion of the frame 12 by screws 18 or. other suitable elements. The shaft 14 extends outwardly through a side of the frame 12 and supports a disc 20 which serves as a surface for a package of conventionally wound web material 22 having a significant aperture therein. The roll is held against the disc 20 in a rigid manner (though rotatable withthe shaft) by a smaller disc 24 threadably secured to shaft 14 by a convenient and coopera tive dial 26.

A tension-regulating component shown generally as 28 is secured to shaft 114 and includes a pulley 30 fixedly secured to shaft 14 in a suitable manner and a flexible belt 32 disposed about the upper periphery of the pulley 30. One of the belt ends 34 is secured to the frame l2 in a manner best shown in FIG. 3 while the other end 36 of the belt 32 is releasably secured to a solenoid 38 and particularly to the movable plunger 40 of that solenoid. A connector 42 links the belt end 36 with the solenoid plunger 10 and makes it possible to vary the normal tensioning of the belt 32 so as to provide a consistent drag against the rotation of shaft 114! by urging the belt 32 against the periphery of the pulley 30. Thus adjustments can be made in the connector 42 to provide increased or reduced tension in the belt 32 and thus regulate the tension of the web material being would by slowing the rotation of shaft 14 accordingly. The solenoid 38 also functions as a braking device in conjunction with the other components previously described, and this braking operation will be more particularly described subsequently.

A component for receiving the web material to be wound is indicated generally as 44 and is specifically made up of a rotatably secured shaft 46 having suitable bearing means 48 carrying a pulley 50 which isjoined by a belt 52 with a motor I pulley 54 mounted on the shaft 56 of a conventional electric drive motor 58. The motor is controlled by a start switch such as the pushbutton 60 illustrated.

The web-receiving component 44 also includes a rotatable supporting member 62 which is associated with a pair of closely positioned parallel pins 64 between which is inserted the forward free end of the web material to be wound. As the rotatable member 62 and pins 64 rotate through the rotation of shaft 46, the web material is wound about the pins. Because of the extremely small size of these pins only a minute aper ture is formed within the reel center. The slight inward taper of rotatable member 62 commencing from the center of the member and extending radially outward therefrom causes the continuous web reel to have a slight concave side (and convex opposite side) which insures consistent and positive winding of the reel.

The receiving component 44 further includes a movable member 66 (FIG. which is displaceable along shaft 46 by a hand-operated lever 68 so that the rotatable support member 62 moves with respect to the parallel pins 64 and displaces a wound reel of web material from the pins 64. The lever 68 is pivoted about the studs 70 which are secured to the frame 12 of the apparatus. By urging the lever 68 away from the newly wound reel of web material, the member 66 is urged outwardly toward the wound reel and carries the connected rotatable member 62 therewith to displace the reel. The lever 68 may be spring biased so that it will always return to its initial position though this feature is not necessary for efficient operation of the machine as the lever can be manually returned to that position. Note that a small steel ball 72 rides normally within a groove 74 in shaft 46 and is held therein by a suitable spring 76 locked by a suitable set screw 78. Displacing lever 68 will urge the ball 72 upward against the biasing of the spring 76 to permit the member 66 to slide with respect to the shaft 46.

The present winding apparatus embodies a reel diameterregulating device shown generally as 80 which has a supporting base 82 suitably secured to the frame 12 in the manner best shown in FIG. 1. A sensing member 84 is pivotally secured to the frame 12 by a suitable axle member shown as a screw 86 in FIG. 1. The member 84 supports a movable roller 88 at one end which constantly engages the periphery of the package 65 being wound while the other end 90 of the member 84 carries a triggering device such as a magnet 92 illustrated herein. A slidably disposed weight 94 insures the contiguousness of the roller 18 against the periphery of the package 65 being wound. it has been found advantageous to turn sensing member 84 slightly so that the side of roller 88 adjacent the rotatable support-member 62 remains at a constant distance from the face 95 of that member throughout the travel of member 84 as a reel is developed.

A second indicating member 96 is used to physically set the diameter of the reel being wound and together with a triggering device such as the reed switch 98 shown in HO. 1 forms a circuit-switching device which will be responsive to the positioning of magnet 92 as the diameter of the reel being wound increases to the extent that the magnet 92 is adjacent the reed switch 98. Positioning the magnet in this location will actuate the reed switch and thus operate the circuit to terminate the operation of the motor and halt the winding of the web material. Indicator member 96 is selectively positionable by means of a securing device such as the thumb screw 100 shown herein.

It is also desirable to wire the operation of the solenoid 38 with the circuit control device provided when the magnet 92 is in close proximity with reed switch 98. The deactivation of the motor 58 by these components will occur at the same time as the actuation of the solenoid 38 which retracts plunger 40 and the tightening of belt 32 so that there will be no further rotation of shaft 14. This is an important function since drift or override of shaft 14 can cause the accumulation of surplus web material about the wound reel 65.

It has also been found advantageous to provide a severing device 102 and an adhesive applicator 104 which are also actuated by the operation of the control circuit to sever the web material and apply a requisite amount of adhesive to the interior of that material so that the severed free end will remain secure against the reel periphery and not unwind. It will be readily apparent that any number of variations in these two components may be used quite effectively and efficiently in the production of the wound reels described herein.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment, obviously many variations may be made in the various components including the tensioning device, the receiving element and the diameterregulating device without departing from the spirit and purpose manifested herein. This disclosure fairly constitutes the essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and it is fully acknowledged that variations, adaptations and alterations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the following claims.

lclaim:

1. A winding machine for preparing reels of web material having a minimized center aperture from conventionally wound web material reels, said machine comprising: a frame; means supporting for rotation at least one reel of conventionally wound web material having a significant aperture therein; means receiving an end of the conventionally wound web material for rotation thereabout; means rotatably driving said receiving means to unwind the conventionally wound-web material reel and rewind the web material thereabout; means adjacent said supporting means regulating the tension of the web material during the unwinding and rewinding thereof; and means regulating the diameter of the reel of rewound material operable to terminate the unwinding and rewinding operation and form a rewound reel of web material having a minimized center aperture, said end-receiving means including a pair of parallel pins receiving said web material end for rotation thereabout and rotatable supporting member adjacent said pin retaining the rewound web material in a consistent reel; means removing a rewound package from said receiving means upon severing and securing the rewound package against unwinding, said removing means including a rotatably secured shaft; a movable member secured to said rotatable supporting member, said movable member and said rotatable supporting member being displaceable along said shaft, and said parallel pins being fixedly secured to said shaft; and lever means urging said movable member and said rotatable supporting member along said shaft and displacing said rewound package from said parallel pins.

2. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: means positioned proximate said regulating means to sever the web material and isolate the reel of rewound web material; and said tension-regulatingmeans including pulley means contiguous with said supporting means, a flexible belt fixedly secured to one end of said housing and slidably positioned about said pulley, linearly adjustable connector means secured to the other end of said belt; and solenoid means secured to said connector means operable when inactive to urge said belt against said pulley and retard the rotation of said supporting means and operable when activated to urge said belt against said pulley to terminate rotation of said supporting means.

3. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2, said diameterregulating means including a sensing member pivotally secured to said frame having a roller contiguous with the periphery of the rewound package at one member end and circuit-triggering means at the other member end, circuitmeans is actuated, said control circuit is operated and said driving means is halted.

4. A winding machine as claimed in claim 3, said circuittriggering means including a magnet and said circuit-switching means including a reed switch.

5. A winding machine as claimed in claim 41, said rotatable supporting member comprising a circular disc having one convex side. 

1. A winding machine for preparing reels of web material having a minimized center aperture from conventionally wound web material reels, said machine comprising: a frame; means supporting for rotation at least one reel of conventionally wound web material having a significant aperture therein; means receiving an end of the conventionally wound web material for rotation thereabout; means rotatably driving said receiving means to unwind the conventionally wound web material reel and rewind the web material thereabout; means adjacent said supporting means regulating the tension of the web material during the unwinding and rewinding thereof; and means regulating the diameter of the reel of rewound material operable to terminate the unwinding and rewindiNg operation and form a rewound reel of web material having a minimized center aperture, said end-receiving means including a pair of parallel pins receiving said web material end for rotation thereabout and rotatable supporting member adjacent said pin retaining the rewound web material in a consistent reel; means removing a rewound package from said receiving means upon severing and securing the rewound package against unwinding, said removing means including a rotatably secured shaft; a movable member secured to said rotatable supporting member, said movable member and said rotatable supporting member being displaceable along said shaft, and said parallel pins being fixedly secured to said shaft; and lever means urging said movable member and said rotatable supporting member along said shaft and displacing said rewound package from said parallel pins.
 2. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: means positioned proximate said regulating means to sever the web material and isolate the reel of rewound web material; and said tension-regulating means including pulley means contiguous with said supporting means, a flexible belt fixedly secured to one end of said housing and slidably positioned about said pulley, linearly adjustable connector means secured to the other end of said belt; and solenoid means secured to said connector means operable when inactive to urge said belt against said pulley and retard the rotation of said supporting means and operable when activated to urge said belt against said pulley to terminate rotation of said supporting means.
 3. A winding machine as claimed in claim 2, said diameter-regulating means including a sensing member pivotally secured to said frame having a roller contiguous with the periphery of the rewound package at one member end and circuit-triggering means at the other member end, circuit-switching means associated with said member selectively positionable and responsive to a predetermined relationship with said triggering means, a control circuit connected to said driving means incorporating said switching means and having a power source, and means retaining said roller contiguous with the periphery of the rewound package, the increase in rewound web reel diameter displacing said triggering means until a predetermined relationship between said triggering means and said switching means is obtained, said switching means is actuated, said control circuit is operated and said driving means is halted.
 4. A winding machine as claimed in claim 3, said circuit-triggering means including a magnet and said circuit-switching means including a reed switch.
 5. A winding machine as claimed in claim 4, said rotatable supporting member comprising a circular disc having one convex side. 